Josef Suk (b 1929) the violinist died earlier this year, which I thought made him more newsworthy than his grandfather the composer (Josef Suk again, obviously a shortage of forenames in Czechoslovakia). Josef Suk senior (b 1874) was married to Dvorak’s daughter, which does plug him very nicely into the Czech musical hierarchy. Junior did study under a violinist beginning with K, but not Kreisler.

]]>By: flashlinghttp://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/11/07/independent-7819-by-phi/#comment-173738
Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:05:22 +0000http://fifteensquared.net/?p=36404#comment-173738Hmm not really looked for pangrams in the clues, last week it was obvious though. Struggled to complete this but did so in three bouts with it. I blogged 11 Nov last year expecting armistice day but got Eimi’s 50th birthday instead, however the date 11/11/11 as Allan_C notes rings alarm bells, we’ll see.

Thanks NMS for a fine blog and Phi for an unusual double pangram.

]]>By: Paul Bhttp://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/11/07/independent-7819-by-phi/#comment-173735
Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:58:12 +0000http://fifteensquared.net/?p=36404#comment-173735Good work PB – it’s nice to see you here @ Indy!
]]>By: Pelham Bartonhttp://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/11/07/independent-7819-by-phi/#comment-173731
Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:00:14 +0000http://fifteensquared.net/?p=36404#comment-173731I forgot to mention earlier that this crossword is pangrammatic in the clues as well as in the answers, although there is of course more room for a pangram in the clues than the answers.

The two three-letter answers were not necessary for sufficient linkage between sections or cross-checking in the answers, but were needed to complete the pangrams, 12ac in the clues and 25ac in the answers.

Had a bit of a double take when I saw it was Phi and wondered if the site was playing silly b******s again. Fine puzzle, usual good range of clues and subjects. Pleased to get RILKE, because I’d stored it away from last time (and I’m waiting for KLIMT to come back up again too).

Like Allan, I took BICYCLE THIEVES at face value, but there will no doubt be something else in there going on. I hadn’t heard of the film either.

]]>By: Allan_Chttp://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/11/07/independent-7819-by-phi/#comment-173722
Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:07:41 +0000http://fifteensquared.net/?p=36404#comment-173722Phi on Monday? – hmm, I think you may be right about Friday, NMS. I see the date will be (in one way of writing it) 11/11/11.

Failed to spot the pangram (again!) but as someone observed recently it might be a case of having to spot non-pangrams soon.

And I think people may be trying to read too much into 18a. I just took it at face value.

You obviously haven’t seen the film recently – he’s actually putting up a poster and has put the bike against the wall a couple of feet away. As he’s new to the job, he’s struggling to put up the poster and a thief grabs his bike while he is thus distracted. You could argue he should have invested in a lock, but maybe he couldn’t afford it. He did have to sell all his bed linen just to get the bike back from the pawnbrokers.